Blaze at waste management facility in Hwaseong kills one

Firefighters put out a blaze at a waste management facility in Hyangnam-eup in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, on Friday. [YONHAP]

A fire broke out at a waste management facility in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, Friday, killing one person.

The blaze broke out at the yard of the facility located in Gumuncheon-ri, Hyangnam-eup, at around 11:12 a.m. and firefighters are working to put out the blaze.

Gyeonggi firefighters confirmed that one dead person was found inside the facility at around 2:35 p.m.

Initial reports said that all staff at the facility had been evacuated, but fire authorities conducted a further search for any missing people.

As heavy smoke spread to nearby areas, two-way traffic was controlled for around 90 minutes on a two-kilometer (1.2 mile) section of the Seohaean Expressway running across the west coast, around 150 meters away from the site of the fire.

Authorities mobilized four helicopters and some 100 firefighters to extinguish the fire.

An oil refining facility was also located at the site.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]